Дюна
Book One: Dune
Itisneverconsistent.Itdependsinpartuponthemyth-makingimaginationofhumankind.Thepersonwhoexperiencesgreatnessmusthaveafeelingforthemythheisin.Hemustreflectwhatisprojecteduponhim.Andhemusthaveastrongsenseofthesardonic.
Thisiswhatuncoupleshimfrombeliefinhisownpretensions.Thesardonicisallthatpermitshimtomovewithinhimself.Withoutthisquality,evenoccasionalgreatnesswilldestroyaman.
—from“CollectedSayingsofMuad’Dib”bythePrincessIrulan
INTHEdininghalloftheArrakeengreathouse,suspensorlampshadbeenlightedagainsttheearlydark.Theycasttheiryellowglowsupwardontotheblackbull’sheadwithitsbloodyhorns,andontothedarklyglisteningoilpaintingoftheOldDuke.
Beneaththesetalismans,whitelinenshonearoundtheburnishedreflectionsoftheAtreidessilver,whichhadbeenplacedinprecisearrangementsalongthegreattable—littlearchipelagosofservicewaitingbesidecrystalglasses,eachsettingsquaredoffbeforeaheavywoodenchair.Theclassiccentralchandelierremainedunlighted,anditschaintwistedupwardintoshadowswherethemechanismofthepoison-snooperhadbeenconcealed.
Pausinginthedoorwaytoinspectthearrangements,theDukethoughtaboutthepoison-snooperandwhatitsignifiedinhissociety.
Allofapattern,hethought.Youcanplumbusbyourlanguage-thepreciseanddelicatedelineationsforwaystoadministertreacherousdeath.Willsomeonetrychaumurkytonight—poisoninthedrink?Orwillitbechaumas—poisoninthefood?
Heshookhishead.
